Parks: The New Climate Classroom

From November 6-9, 2013, the Institute at the Golden Gate hosted Parks: The New Climate Classroom at Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, California.

Parks: The New Climate Classroom was convened to accelerate and deepen climate change communications and education and link organizations, public lands, formal and in-formal educators, and related fields to fundamentally shifting the public dialogue on climate change. Presenters and attendees represented a cross-disciplinary, multi-sector group of leaders and innovators in the fields of climate change communications, education and learning, parks and public lands management and interpretation, communications, and related fields. The Institute at the Golden Gate is pleased to have worked with Lisa Bennett, co-author of Ecoliterate, and Director of Communications at the Center for Ecoliteracy, as the facilitator for this convening. For a full list of presentations and speakers, please see the conference agenda.

Attendees connected with experts and others facing similar challenges and working toward common goals. The cross-sector field of people and organizations learned new tactics and approaches to increase the effectiveness and reach of climate change-related programming. Download our report, Insights for Climate Change Communication & Education, for an overview of the key messages and takeaways from the event.

The Institute at the Golden Gate’s position is that connecting those who are working to communicate climate change and educate the public continues to be a tremendous opportunity and this workshop brought renewed energy to the process by engaging designers, behaviorists, place-makers, and others who have much to offer the climate change and parks communities.

"One of the most precious values of the national parks is their ability to teach us about ourselves and how we relate to the natural world. This important role may prove invaluable in the near future as we strive to understand and adapt to a changing climate."